Passenger and freight transfer system



W. P. LAMAR. v PASSENGER AND FREIGHT TRANSFER SYSTEM.

' APPLICATION FILED FEB. 25, I916. RENEWED APR. 2,192!- 1,383,220.Patented June 28, 1921.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 1- .ll F

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gin-um 'H foz QQQSQJ A% m 7/9124 W. P. LAMAR. PASSENGER AND FREIGHTTRANSFER SYSTEM. APPLICATION HLED FEB. 25. we. RENEWED APR. 12, I92]. 41,3832

Patented June 28 4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

w, P.LAMAR. PASSENGER AND FREIGHT TRANSFER SYSTEM. APPLICATION FILEDFEB. 25, 19:8. RgNEV/ED APR. 12. 1921.

Patented June 28, 19,21.

4 SHEilS-SHEET 3.

gnvenfoz w. P. LAMAR. PASSENGER AND FREIGHT TRANSFER SYSTEM. APPLICATIONHLED FEB. 25, 1918. RENEWED APR. 12-, I921- 1,3882

Patented June 28, 1921.

4 SHEE|SSHEET 4.

Q k'i fzm W provement upon the transfer devices WILLIAM F; LA

MAR, 01? ATLANTA, enoaere.

PASSENGER AND FBEI GHT 'TRANSFER SYSTEM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented J une' 2S, 1921.

Application filed February 25, 1918, Serial No, 219,059. Renewed :"splil12, 1921. alarm. 460,666.

This invention relates to devices used in transferring passengers andfreightat railroad stations to or from moving railroad trains or othervehicles moving in fixed paths thereby avoiding stops and shortening thetime of travel between terminal points and reducing the amount ofrollingstock necessary to handle a certain amount of traiiic. The presentinvention is an imdisclosed in two applications previously filed by me,Number 1236, 196, filed December 12, 1916, now patent $1,818,091, issuedAug. 12, 1919, and Number 181,885, filed July 20, 1917, in which Idisclose an apparatus by means of which a moving train discharges from aspecial reception car, a transfer car loaded with passengers or freight,upon one end of a station platform, and takes from the other end of theplatform a second transfer car loaded with passengers or freight,drawing the same into the previouslyemptied reception car.

The object of this invention is to improve and simplify the mechanismfor performing these functions which is described in the above mentionedapplications, and to attain the same results with novel mechanismcomprising a smaller number of parts and the parts being of more simpleconstruction.

The invention will be fully disclosed in the following description takenin connection with the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a planview of a station platform, between two railway tracks, showing therelative position ofa train and the platform when a transfer car isabout to be discharged on to the platform:

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of one of the cars of the train, showingportions of the special apparatus attached thereto;

Fig. 3 is an end view of the transfer car;

Fig. a is a top plan view of the reception car. the roof being removed;

Jig. 5 is a plan view of portion of the mechanism located beneath thefloor of the reception car;

Fig. 6 is a side elevation of the reception car showing the mechal' ismfor actuating the transfer car; J i

Fig. 7 is a section along the line 7- of Fig. 4:; i

Fig. 8 1s a plan view of a portion of the mechanism located beneath thestation plat; form; l a y a v r Fig; 9 is a section along the line 9-9ofFig.1; I 4

Fig. 10 is a section alongtheline 10-10 of Fig. 1; i 1 1 Figs. 11, 12,13, 14,15'and 16 are details.

The platform P is located between two railroad tracksE and E and isadapted to receive transfer cars from trains passing on either track andto allow a transfer. car to be picked up by a train going ,in eitherdirection This platform P is of a length and width determined largely bythe size and weight of the cars to be transferred and its necessarydimensions will suggest themselves when these factors are known. Themechanism for acceleratingand retarding the transfer car upon theplatform" and the mechanism for loading and discharging the transfer carinto andlout'of the reception car are separate and distinct and will bedescribed separately. i

The platform P comprises three principal portions, theend portions 10and 11 upon which the transfer car first passes after b ing dischargedand from which itis taken when being drawn into a reception car, and thelonger central portion 12 which is the portion upon which the transfercar is accelerated and retarded. It will be understood of course thatthe transfer car is travelingat the same speed the train when beii takenon and put off, and that accelerating means is needed upon the platformto impart a, this velocity to a transfer car starting from rest and toretard and stop a transfer car moving train. i V .1

This accelerating and retarding means comprises a series of gears orcogs extending longitudinally of the, platform and so rarranged thatthey are actuated at different speeds by a passing train. vVV henrtworailsuddenly placed upon the platform by the shafts 13," preferably fourenlarged plan view of from opposite sides. In S is shown an wheels 17'securednpon their outer ends, the

gears 17 being vertically arranged parallel I and close to the railroadtracks'so that they may be engaged and-rotated to the underside oftherailroad cars as they V movement thereof beinghmited'by suitable onthe underside of the transfer car. p I gears 18 and the gears, 21 areIlIllfOlIIl. 1n diameter but the crown gears 19 and the by racks securedpass. p r 7 Upon each shaft is secured aseries of gears 18.;whichjmes hwith crown gears 19 integral with or rigidly'securedto gears 20 which inturn mesh with largergears 21 arranged to project upward through slotsin :the plat form and to be 'engagedb r a suitable jri tlck gears 20varyin diameter and are sodes gnedthat when'the four shafts .13 are be-7 ing uniformly rotated by 'a'passing train the operatively connected 7as shown 1nF1gs.-8 and 10, [This gearing 1s gears 2 1are rotating'atdifferent speeds, the

center gear or gears rotating veryslowly and the endgears at gearrotates at a hig'her rate of of gears 18.211 givlng a unlformacceleration to a form and travelingtoward"one end and a nal shafts onwhich they are mounted being by suitable gearing,

so arranged that the cogs'2l' rotate in the more than one a time in eachrow. a

a a A by suitable 'brackets from' 'rods'24'connectmg pistons 1n thepneumatic same, direction,'one gear 17 turning idly when the other isengaged by'a rack22.

A long rack for engaging and'a ctuatinw the cogs 17 is shownat 22in Fig.2 ant racksr secured to the underside ofa trans fer car and adapted tobe engaged? by the double row of cogs 2l -areshown at23in' Fig. 3. Theseracks 23 are slightly shorter than theJtangential distance betweentwoofthe cogs '2lvso that they will never engage V The rack 22 is hungcylinders 25 securedfto the car bodygf This allows a certain amountofgive when the teeth of the rack first 'engage the teeth of the cogs}?and preventsbreaking'of the teeth. Simple mechanism .lS also provldedfor -ra1sa short section of this high speed while each of the 7intermediate gears rotates at a speedfdepend-r ing' upon its position inthe line, that is, each succeeding speed as the end ofthe line preached,

transfer car leaving the center ofthe platcar approaching the shown itto be a mere flat carmounted upon four .ca'sterf wheels tial iron hooks26 at ed to be grasped by suitable mechanism here inafter to bemorefully described upon a passing receivingv car. These hooks 26 arenot rigidly fastened to the ends of the car T, but slide through tubularmembers 2'7, the

25 and having substans tops 28 thereoircooperatingwith stops 29 up on acar body. The hooks'are normally extended by means of a pinion 30mesn1ngwith'teeth 31 on the hooks, the pinion 30 be ing {actuated by a;suitable leaf spring 31'. within a recess in the end of the transfer carPneumatic bumpers 32"are placed'on the front of the .carbo'dy impact-ofthe same against the side of the receiving car whenthe transfer car hasjust been taken on to the latter. To 'therear end of the transfer carissecured a downwardly extending bar 33 having a horizontal portion '34.:which operates the ex.

tensible bridgingmembers attached to the receiving car,v hereinafter tobe more'fully described whenrthe transfer car is passing into or outof'the receiving car.

The end portions 10 and 11 of platform P are constructed in a similarmanner withthe operative partsreversed, however, due to the fact thatthey are at opposite ends of the platform and are constructed to receivetransfer cars from different sides of the plat form. In Fig. '1 I- haveshown a train passingthe platform having a reception car R opposite theplatform end 11 and about to discharge the transfer Car thereupon: orderthat the caster wheels of the transfer car be suitably guided so as toremain upon the receiving platform. and to accurately strike the grooves35 extending lown the central portion 12, I have provided depressibleportions 36 and 37. hereinafter called depressible guards, which'serveto trap the transfer car upon the receiving platform after it has beenreleased :by the reception .carand to guide it in its proper path. In

tion and operation in detail.

guard 36 con1pr1ses a portion 370i The p the platform hinged atvitsouter edge at 38 and held normally-man inclined position by asuitablespring 39. Hinged to the inner and upper edge is a member 40which 6X- tends downwardly and is guided in ajslot- 41 when thedepressible' guard movesnpwardly its ends which are adaptto absorb theshock of V Cir or downwardly. This member constitutes when the car isupon the platform a guide or embankment against which the caster wheelsof the reception car bear and which prevents the same from rollingtoward the front edge of the platform. A curved bar 4-2 rigidly securedto the underside of the hat portion 37 is adapted to pass when the guardis depressed through a hole a3 in a member 4&- strongly braced from theground or foundation. This bar d2 constitutes a support {or thedepressible guard when locked in the position shown in Fig. 9 by a boltor latch which is positioned between the lower end of the bar and themember 44-. thus preventing the bar from passing through the hole l3.This latch is only operated to release the guard and render itdepressible when a certain portion of the passing reception car strikesthe protruding end 46 of the bell able spring 4:7 acting on this bellcrank lever tends at all times to keep the bolt or latch at?) in itslocking position whereby the guard 36 is locked.

. A portion of the other side of the platform 11 constitutes a seconddepressible guard 4-8 for confining the motion of the transfer car inthis direction and this guard is also looked in its inclined position,ex cept at the instant when a transfer car is being drawn from theplatform 11 on to a train passing along the track adjacent the guard41S. liigidly secured to the underside of the portion 48 is a rod d9having a pin and slot connection at its lower end with a substantiallyhorizontal rod 50 pivoted to the underside of the platform at 31. Atension spring 52 pulls downwardly .upon the bar 50 and thereforeHittilltillllStliiQ portion in its upwardly tilted position.

Locking means for supporting the depressible guard in its upwardlytilted position also provided and this means comprises a curved barhaving its lower end adapted to bear against the inwardly extending endoi a rotatable latch having a portion 55 e ending outwardly into thepath ot a portion of the mechanism of the reception car. A spring 56normally holds this latch in its locking positio and stop 57 limits therotation thereof. lVhen the outer end 55is struck by the mechanism onthe reception car, the latch is swung until its rear portion diseneagesthe lower end of the bar and the hard may then be depressed, whichdepression is aiiected at this instant by the transfer car which is thenbeing drawn over it and into the reception car.

The bar 50 has also av pin and slot connection with depressible guiderails 58 and it is obvious that as the guard 48 isd'epressed guide rails58, the tops of mally flush with the top surface oi the platcrank leverd7. as a suit .view of the lGCQPtlOlLCElI,HDCl in tively secured tothecar body and the bar 50 will be raised and the which are norform, willbe raised. There are three of these guiderails 5 8, as clearly shown inFig. l, and when in their raised positions they are adapted to beengaged by the outer three caster wheels of the transfer car T, and arematerially useful in assisting the mechanism of the reception car ineffecting the transfer. i

It is of course obvious that the weight of the depressible guards and.guide rails 58 may be such that. instead of single latches holding themin their locked positions, a series of latches may be required and aseries of bars 50 provided for raising and lowering 7 the guide rails.The number of suchlatches and bars, however, is a matter of design, andmay bealtered to suit circumstances, PlOVldGCl llOWGYBlQtllttb they areoperated simultaneously at the proper moment.

The mechanism on the reception car for manipulating the transfer carwill now be described. In Fig. il have shown a plan Figs. c

and 7 lhave shown mechanism located beneath the floor of tee receptioncar and which is adapted to be actuated to manipulate the transfer carwhen a certain member engages an auxiliary rail 59 spiked to the ties ofthertraclrwayj These guide rails 59 are curved at their end portionsopposite portions 10 and 11 of the platform and are substantiailystraightin the middle. A bell crank lever 60 is pivoted to a bracket 61rigidly secured to the underside oi'the reception car midway of itslengthand this lever 60 has a roll 62 at'its lower end adapted to bearagainst the beveled face of the guide rail 59 when the train is passinga station. Pivot-ally secured to the upper end or" lever 60 are the endsoi": two similarly constructed rods63 pivoted to the car bottom at Mendextending approximately to. the opposite ends respectively thereof. Nearthe outer ends or" these rods 63 are "bolted heavy rack members .65,which engage gears 66 respec each of these gears ,66 meshes withasmaller gear 67 secured to. a transverse rod 68 extending across thecar body length of the door there of. Each of these rods 68, has twoworms 69. and 70 thereon, the threads being right and leithand, andengaging horizontally arranged gear wheels 71, 72. These gear Hit)wheels 71 and 2 are rotatable horizontally,

but prevented from vertical movement by any suitable means. not shown,and are rigidly mounted upon upright threaded bolts 73 and 7 4-,respectively. which extend upwardly through the bottom oi: the car andpass through threaded openings intlie opposite ends or tiltable channelsare pivoted at their middle points to brackets secured to the car floor,as clearly shown in Figs. i and i It can be seen then that as the upperend of the lever moves vertically, due to its lower end moving whenengaged by the curved rail 59, the rods 68 will be rotated to someextent'about theirpivotal points 64,

' thus tiltingthe channel members in one through the intervenlower endof said ceive the middle pair of such wheels, and

this third "channel which is indicated at 7% in Fig. 4, is rigidlysecured to and opcrates with the end channels '75 and 76 by SlIlllfllOlGcross bars 78,

so that the channels 7 Hinged to the forward end ofeach of the channelsand with their outer ends slidably resting on blocks 7 9 are shortchannel portions 80 which insure'a smooth trackway for thecaster'wheelsiof the tran fer car-between the tiltable'portions and theswinging bridging members 81; These tilt as a unit.

swinging bridging members are pivoted re- I spectively to thefblocks79.secured tojthe car floor, and are normally held in extended position bystrong tension springs 82; The outer endsof the bridging members areflared to more easily receive the caster wheels of the transfer car, andbeneath the outer ends are located substantial rollers 83 for supportingthe same upon ledges 84 formed in the edges on the sides ofthe platformso that the bridging membersare ain- .ply strong enough to bear theweight of the transfer car when it is them. r

Each bridging member has adjacent its pivotal points a laterallyextending bar 85 passing to or fro over rigidly secured thereto, andthese'bars 85 are provided near their outer ends with ver-' ticallyupwardly extendingpins 86 which .lie in the path of thehorizontal'portion 8% of the downwardly prO eQting'menibe-r 33 securedto the rear end of the transfer car.

It can be seen that when the 'transferca-r has passed over the bridgingmembers and is al- 'most entirely within the reception car that theportion 3.4: will engage with thejpin 86 and tend to rotate the bridgingmembers on' their pivots and to fold them back along the car, In orderto prevent any accidental movement of the br dging members, whenextended, I have provided spring catches 87,

as clearly shown in Fig. 13, which have recesses in their upper portionsadapted to 1% around and engage the, lower faces of the to prevent theirmovement inleither' direction. The outer ends of the spring catches 87are upwardly turned and have inclined portions 88 which are also in thepath-way of the member 01, and as the. transfer car passes into thereception car this member 34; will first strike the 111Cl1I16Cl which itdepending uponthe side of the lower end portion 88 of the spring catch87 depressing the same thereby and freeing the bar 85 from therestraining shoulder '89 so that when the member 34 strikes the pin 86,does almost instantly after striking the inclined portion 88, thebridging members will be unlocked and may be swung as before explainedalongside the car to be out of the way of obstructions along the track.The bridging members are maintained in this folded position until the:time arrives for the transfer car to be discharged, since the member 34remains in continual engagement with the pin86, l/Vhem'however, thetransfer car begins to pass out of the reception car as'for instance atthe next station, the member 34 i'eleases'the, pin 86 and the strongsprings 82 immediately extend the bridging members and the spring catch87 again locks them in theirextended position.

The outer ends of the rods 63 pass throu h slots 90 in uprightvertically slidable rods 9ljextending through-the bottom of the car. Theslots 90 are of such length that the ends of the able lost motion andare not immediately actuated when the rods first begin to operate." Theupper ends of these rods 91 are connected pivotally to cross bars 92 and93 which in turn are pivoted to the inner ends or lazy tong devices 94similar to the ones fully described in my copending applications. Theselazy tongldevices are secured to the ends of the car and have hooks 95at. their outer ends which are adapted to engage the hooks 26 ofthetransfer car to manipulate the same; It can be seen that as theuprights 91 are raised and lowered, the cross bars 92 and 93 which arepivoted together at their central points will be operated scissorsfashion to actuate in turnthe lazy tongs devices, an upward movement ofthe uprights 91 resulting in an extension of the lazy tong devices, anda downward movement: in a contraction thereof. a Y a a As it is obviousthat intheoperation of my transfer device it will be desirable to passcertain station platforms without taking-on ordischarging a transfercar, I have provided a selective mechanism for rendering the mechanismof the reception car inoperative whenever desirable. The downwardlyextending arm of the lever 60 is hinged, as clearly shown in Figs. 15and 16, and means is provided for drawing the lower end of'the lever 60upwardly in a plane parallel with the axis of the car so that it willnot engage the curved trackway of its length as-at 96, a 'joint betweenthe sections being indicated by the line 97.. The portion is slottedanda tongue 98 extends through this slot, the tonguebeing rigid with theupper portion rods 63 work in them with considerof the lever arm. Thetongue 98 is in turn slotted vertically as'at 99', the slot extendingupwardly and being adapted to receive therein a fiat member rigidlysecured to the lower end of one fork of a member 101 e:-;- tendingupwardly through the car floor and adapted to be actuated from the topof the car or one end thereof. A second fork of the selective rod 101extends downwardly upon the other side of the lever 00 and is connectedto the lower portion thereof at 102 with a pin and slot connection. Itcan be seen that the member 101 is drawn upwardly and the lockingportion 100 will be first withdrawn from the slot 99, and that then theother fork ofthe rod 101 will rotate the lower end of the member 60about its hinge 96 into a substantially horizontal position in which theroller will not engage th guide rail 59. hen the rod 101 is lowered thelower end of the lever 60 will a sume a vertical position due to its ownweight or because of the action of a suitable spring and immediatelyafter the locking plate 100 will enter the slot 99 and the two parts ofthe depending arm will be rigid and ready to withstand the strains necessary in the operation of the mechanism.

' From the foregoing detailed description of the apparatus its mode ofoperation will be apparent and a brief description of its generaloperation will now be given. train approaching the platform-from eitherdirection and desiring to effect the transfer will lower the long rackbars beneath the carsso that they will engage the cog wheel 1'7 locatedat the side of the track opposite the platform. The selective mechanismupon the reception car will also be operative so that the down hanginglever will engage the curved rails secured to the trackway. lYhen thereception car is passing the end of the platform this lever will engagethe curved rail and the tiltable supporting chan nels upon which thetransfer car is located will be tipped after which the lazy tongsdevices will begin to thrust the transfer car forth from the receptioncar, the bridging members being extended by this movement and a tiltingguard on the near side of the platform being unlocked by the bridgingmembers.

As the lazy tongs complete their extensions the wheels of the transfercar will pass from the bridging members on to the platform depressingthe tilting- .immediately springs upwardly transfer car has completelypassed over 1t and prevents the same the platform as described before.After being released by the lazy tongs devices the transfer car isretarded by the retarding gears, which cease to rotate when the transfer car has reached the center of the platform due to the fact that thetrain has guard which after the from escaping from passed the gears 17which are toward the receiving end of the platform.

Meanwhile a transfer car located originally upon the center of theplatform has been accelerated by the cogs and the lazy tongs devicesengagehooks on the ends of the transfer car and draw the latter into thereception car when the opposite end of the platform has been reached. Inthis operation the guide rails located. at the ends of the platform andnormally flush with its upper surface are brought into operation toassist the lazy tongs, and the transfer car depresses the second tiltingguard, which haspreviously been released by the bridging membersunlatching the same. 7

It is obvious that many changes may be made in the design andproportions of the mechanism disclosed in the drawings and specificationand I do not wish to be limited to the exact form shown and describedthe broad nature of the invention being indicated by the scope of theappended cl aims, Having thus described the invention what is claimed asnew and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1.111 a transfer system of the class, de scribed, a traclcway, a caradapted to be transferred to a vehicle moving along said 1 t-rackway,means for accelerating said car, and means for transferring said car tosaid vehicle, said means including'a curved rail member, and a memberadapted to engage the same, one of said members being secured to saidtrackway and the other being secured to said vehicle.

2. En a transfersystem of the class dc; scribed, a trackway, a caradapted to be transferred to a vehicle moving along said traclzway,means for accelerating said car, and means for transferring said car tosaid vehicle, said means including a curved guide rail rigidly securedto said traclrway, and a lever pivotally secured to said vehicle andprojecting downwardly and adapted to ensaid guide rail.

3. In transfer system of the class de-' scribed, a trackway, a caradapted to be transferred to a vehicle moving along said trackway, meansfor accelerating said car, means for transferring said car to saidvehicle, said means including a guide ail rigidly secured to saidtraclrway parallel to the path of said vehicle and having curved endsand a lQl "QI pivotally secured to said vehicle and projectingdownwardly and adapted to engage said guide rail when the vehicle movesalong said trackway.

4. In a transfer system of the class described, a trackway, a caradapted to be transferred to a vehicle moving along said trackway, meansfor accelerating said car, and means for transferring said ear to saidvehicle, said means including a guide rail rigidly secured to saidtrackway and having curved portion.

to said vehicle and having a curved portion, a bell crank lever"pivotally secured to said vehicle andhaving a downwardly projecting armadapted to slidably engage said guide rail as the vehicle passes alongthe trackway and to be rocked on its pivot whenengaging said 5. In atransfer system of the class described, atrackway, a car adapted to betransferred to a vehicle passing along said trackway, means foraccelerating said car, and means for transferring said .car to saidvehicle, said means comprising two lazy tong devices secured tosaidvehicle and adapted to be extended therefrom to engage said car, abell cranklever pivotally secured a downwardly extending arm, a guiderall havmg a curved portion rigidly secured to said track= way, thedownwardly extending arm of said 'bell crank lever being adapted toengage and be rocked by said guide rail as the vehicle moves past thesame, and mechanism' operatively connecting said lever and said tongswhereby the latter will be operated by the former. v

6. In a transfer Isystem of the class de scribed, artrackway, a 'caradapted to' be transferred to a vehlcle moving along said trackway,means for accelerating'said car, and means for transferring said car tosaid vehicle, said means including a; curved rail rigidly secured tosaidtraclway, a clownwardly hanging lever pivoted to said velllClG andadapted to engage and be rocked by said guide rail as the vehicle movesalong 7 said trackway, lazy tong devices secured to said vehicle, andsubstantially horizontal levers pivoted to said vehicle and saiddownwardly hanging lever and operatively connected to said lazy tongs,whereby the lazy tongs are actuatedwhen said downwardly hanging lever isrocked." V p r v 7. In a transferisystem'of the class described, atrackway parallel to astation platfornn a vehicle adapted to move alongsaid trackway, a caradapted to be transferred from said vehicle to saidplatform and vice versa, a curved guide rail secured to said trackwayopposite the platform,

member pivoted tov said vehicle and adapted to engage and berrocked bysaid guide rail as the vehicle passestheplatform, mechanismoperatively-connected; to and actir ated by said member for effectingthe transfer and mechanism on said platform: and

actuated by thepassing vehicle for accelerally secured to said receptioncar and-adapted to beextended toward the other track- Way, means on saidreception" car for en gaging saidvtransfer car and drawin'gvthe sameinto-said reception car, and a curved guide rail secured adj acent'oneofsaid' trackways and lying in th path of travel of said last mentionedmeans whereby saidmeansis V actuated to draw the transfer car into the,

reception car. l I V r 9. In a transfer device scrlbed, a trackway,iajplatfo'rm parallel of a; class de-l thereto, a train adapted topassalongsaid trackway and having fareception car,j a transfer car insaid reception car, means fortransferrmg sald transfer carfrom saidreception car to said platform while the train is in motion,anddepressible guards on said platform for guiding said transfer car. i

10. In a-transfer device of the class described, aatrackway, a platformparallel thereto, a train adapted to pass al'ong said trackivay' andhaving a reception fear, a transfer car in said reception car, means foris inymotion, 'depressible guards on'said ,9O transferring said transfercar from said re ceptlon car tosaidplatform While the-trainplatform,,and'me'ans for locking said guards in guarding positionwhen'the transfer car ing the transfer car.

has been placed on'said platform for guid I WILL an P,

r V In testimony whereofI afiix my signature.

